Screening https://nptel.ac.in/courses/105104102/Lecture 21.

htm

Home Screening
Lecture Types of Screens
Quiz Velocity
Design Example
Head loss
Equalization Tanks
Types of Equalization Tanks

Screening

A screen is a device with openings for removing bigger suspended or

floating matter in sewage which would otherwise damage equipment
or interfere with satisfactory operation of treatment units.

Types of Screens

Coarse Screens: Coarse screens also called racks, are usually bar
screens, composed of vertical or inclined bars spaced at equal
intervals across a channel through which sewage flows. Bar screens
with relatively large openings of 75 to 150 mm are provided ahead of
pumps, while those ahead of sedimentation tanks have smaller
openings of 50 mm.

Bar screens are usually hand cleaned and sometimes provided with
mechanical devices. These cleaning devices are rakes which
periodically sweep the entire screen removing the solids for further
processing or disposal. Hand cleaned racks are set usually at an
angle of 45° to the horizontal to increase the effective cleaning
surface and also facilitate the raking operations. Mechanical cleaned
racks are generally erected almost vertically. Such bar screens have
openings 25% in excess of the cross section of the sewage channel.

Medium Screens: Medium screens have clear openings of 20 to 50

mm.Bar are usually 10 mm thick on the upstream side and taper
slightly to the downstream side. The bars used for screens are
rectangular in cross section usually about 10 x 50 mm, placed with
larger dimension parallel to the flow.

Fine Screens: Fine screens are mechanically cleaned devices using

perforated plates, woven wire cloth or very closely spaced bars with
clear openings of less than 20 mm. Fine screens are not normally
suitable for sewage because of clogging possibilities.

The most commonly used bar type screen is shown in figure:

Velocity

The velocity of flow ahead of and through the screen varies and

1 of 3 12-08-2019, 11:56 am
Screening https://nptel.ac.in/courses/105104102/Lecture 21.htm

affects its operation. The lower the velocity through the screen, the
greater is the amount of screenings that would be removed from
sewage. However, the lower the velocity, the greater would be the
amount of solids deposited in the channel. Hence, the design velocity
should be such as to permit 100% removal of material of certain size
without undue depositions. Velocities of 0.6 to 1.2 mps through
the open area for the peak flows have been used satisfactorily.
Further, the velocity at low flows in the approach channel should not
be less than 0.3 mps to avoid deposition of solids.

Head loss

Head loss varies with the quantity and nature of screenings allowed
to accumulate between cleanings. The head loss created by a clean
screen may be calculated by considering the flow and the effective
areas of screen openings, the latter being the sum of the vertical
projections of the openings. The head loss through clean flat bar
screens is calculated from the following formula:

h = 0.0729 (V2 - v2)

where, h = head loss in m

V = velocity through the screen in mps

v = velocity before the screen in mps

Another formula often used to determine the head loss through a bar
rack is Kirschmer's equation:

h = b (W/b)4/3 hv sin q

where h = head loss,m

b = bar shape factor (2.42 for sharp edge rectangular bar, 1.83 for
rectangular bar with semicircle upstream, 1.79 for circular bar and
1.67 for rectangular bar with both u/s and d/s face as semicircular).

W = maximum width of bar u/s of flow, m

b = minimum clear spacing between bars, m

hv = velocity head of flow approaching rack, m = v2/2g

q = angle of inclination of rack with horizontal

The head loss through fine screen is given by

h = (1/2g) (Q/CA)

where, h = head loss, m

Q = discharge, m3/s
C = coefficient of discharge (typical value 0.6)
A = effective submerged open area, m2

The quantity of screenings depends on the nature of the wastewater

and the screen openings.

2 of 3 12-08-2019, 11:56 am
Screening https://nptel.ac.in/courses/105104102/Lecture 21.htm

Equalization Tanks

The equalization tanks are provided (i) to balance fluctuating flows or

concentrations, (ii) to assist self neutralization, or (iii) to even out
the effect of a periodic "slug" discharge from a batch process.

Types of Equalization Tanks

Equalization tanks are generally of three types:

1. Flow through type

2. Intermittent flow type
3. Variable inflow/constant discharge type

The simple flow through type equalization tank is mainly useful in

assisting self neutralization or evening out of fluctuating
concentrations, not for balancing of flows since a flow through type
tank once filled, gives output equal to input.

Flow balancing and self-neutralization are both achieved by using

two tanks, intermittently one after another. One tank is allowed to fill
up after which it is checked for pH (or any other parameter) and
then allowed to empty out. The second tank goes through a similar
routine. Intermittent flow type tanks are economic for small flows
from industries.

When flows are large an equalization tank of such a size may have to
be provided that inflow can be variable while outflow is at a
constant rate, generally by a pump.The capacity required is
determined from a plot of the cumulative inflow and a plot of the
constant rate outflow and measuring the gaps between the two
plots. A factor of safety may be applied if desired.

Generally, detention time vary from 2 to 8 hours but may be even

12 hours or more in some cases. When larger detention times are
required, the equalization unit is sometimes provided in the form of
facultative aerated lagoon.

3 of 3 12-08-2019, 11:56 am